Ronaldo Wont Play: Al-Nassr’s Strategic Rest Ahead of ACL 2 Showdown
4 November 2025
Ronaldo Omitted from the XI
Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus of Al-Nassr has left Cristiano Ronaldo out of the squad for the AFC Champions League 2 clash with Goa FC, scheduled for Wednesday.
The Saudi side will host Goa FC at their home ground, Al-Nassr Park, in the fourth round of ACL 2 group play.
Al-Nassr sit in Group D alongside Iraqi club Al-Zawraa, Tajikistan’s Istiklol, and Goa FC.
Solid ACL 2 Form and Group Standings
Jesus’s men have impressed so far, taking all three matches in the group and sitting top with nine points after wins over Istiklol, Al-Zawraa, and Goa.
Jesus hopes to lift the continental crown, while the team eyes the Saudi Super Cup and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup disappointments behind them and aims to build on this momentum.
He also stressed that the decision to omit Ronaldo is about workload management and squad depth rather than a personal preference.
Injury Absences and November Schedule
Several key players are ruled out for the Goa clash, with Mohammed Siamaqan, Saad Al-Nasser, Ayman Yahya, and Abdul Malik Al-Jaber still undergoing rehabilitation.
November will see Al-Nassr begin with a Pro League win over Al-Fayha, push to host Goa, then travel to Neom, with ticket prices ranging from 30 to 300 riyals as announced by the Neom management to accommodate more fans.
After the international break, Al-Nassr will face Al-Khaleej, then close the month with a group-stage match against Istiklol in Dushanbe, as ACL 2 reaches its fifth and penultimate round.
Note: The piece mentions Neom's plan to add seating for fans of the visiting side, increasing the allotted share beyond the standard 10%.
Punchline 1: If Ronaldo’s on the bench, the coach is clearly running a sniper drill—one shot at the goal, zero at the star’s legs.
Punchline 2: Ronaldo on rest duty? Don’t worry, that’s just the ultimate nap-tar tactic—sleeping on the fact that the net still counts whether you’re in it or on it.
